Arab-Israeli Conflict

CAUSES FOR THE FOUNDING OF ISRAEL ZIONISM: the desire to establish a Jewish homeland in Palestine. POGROMS: organized acts of violence against Jews in Russia and Poland in the last few centuries. ANTI-SEMITISM: hated, fear and mistrust of Jews. GHETTOS: Jews were forced to live in ghettos throughout Europe and the Arab World.

FATHER OF ZIONISM THEODOR HERZL an Austrian Jew a journalist covered the Dreyfuss Affair French Officer was Jewish on trial for treason very little evidence convicted just b/c he was Jewish

Zionism With the increase in Jewish Immigration, anti-Semitism worsened. Effendis: Arab land owners that lived mainly in Istanbul sold their land to the Jews for 10 times more then it was worth. Arab tenant farmers were then kicked off the land they worked, but did NOT own, for centuries. Built farming communities known as KIBBUTZ. Land disputes caused TENSION between Arabs and Jews.

WORLD WAR I ( ) Collapse of the Ottoman Empire Turkey only part left from Ottoman’s Britain, France, Italy and Spain divide up Ottoman Empire Turkey, under Ataturk, becomes an unstable republic

BRITISH MANDATE ( ) Importance of OIL causes Britain and France to remain in MidEast. Britain controls ALL major land and water trade routes. Suez Canal Persian Gulf Jordan Promises BOTH Arabs and Jews a homeland in Palestine.

BRITISH PROMISES McMahon-Hussein Agreement (1915): British promise the Arabs (Hussein family) an Arab state in return for allegiance against Axis Powers. Sykes-Picot Agreement: agreement between Britain and France to divide up the MidEast amongst themselves.

UN PARTITION PLAN (1947)

1st Arab-Israeli War: May 15, 1948 May 14, 1948: David Ben-Gurion, the 1st Prime Minister of Israel, declares independence. May 15, 1948: Six Arab countries invade Israel Armies of Egypt, Transjordan (now Jordan), Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia joined Palestinian and other voluntary Arab soldiers. Israelis called it the War of Independence. Arabs called it the Catastrophe.

ARAB INVASION OF 1948

ISRAEL’S NEW BORDERS Israelis defeat the six Arab armies. Jews gain almost all land given to Palestinian-Arabs in UN Partition Plan. Jordan only ARAB country to gain territory. East Jerusalem (Old City) West Bank Egypt retains Gaza Strip.

ARAB REFUGEES Approximately 400,000 Palestinian- Arabs become refugees in neighboring Arab countries. One of the main issues btwn Arabs and Israelis to make peace today

ARAB REFUGEES

The HOLOCAUST Over 6 million Jews murdered in WWII. Jews unable to find refuge during war. Even after WWII, Western countries, including the USA, turned away Holocaust survivors. Worldwide collective guilt, allows newly founded UN to recognize the newly established state of Israel.

Arab-Israeli Wars 1948: War of Independence 1956: Suez Canal War 1967: ‘Six Day War’ 1973: ‘Yom Kippur War’ 1982: Lebanon War –only war Israeli invaded another country

NASSER GAMAL ABDEL NASSER Egyptian President Leading Arab-Nationalist Called for the destruction of Israel Increase economic power of Arab countries Nationalize all foreign owned businesses End dependence on the West Built the ASWAN HIGH DAM

Suez Canal War (1956) This war was a result of Nasser's anti- Israeli Pan-Arab policy and Egyptian nationalization of the Suez Canal.Nasser's Egypt blockaded the Tiran Straits disallowing Israel’s access to the Red Sea for trading purposes. the Israelis invaded Egypt in 1956, gaining support by British and French military action.

CAUSES OF THE SUEZ CANAL WAR OF 1956 Britain and France want to regain control of the Suez Canal Egypt, under Gamal Abdel Nasser, blockades the Tiran Straits. -The only access to the Red Sea for Israeli trading Britain and France pledge to help Israel and in return Israel will help them.

RESULTS OF THE SUEZ CANAL WAR The fighting was halted by the UN after a few days UN Emergency Force (UNEF) was sent to supervise the cease-fire in the Canal zone The United States and the Soviet Union supported the UN resolution forcing the three invading countries to leave Egypt Tiran Straits remained open for Israeli trading

THE SIX DAY WAR: JUNE 5-10, 1967 CAUSES: Syria’s military amassed at Israel’s northern border. Egypt’s military amassed at Israel’s southern border. Egypt, once again, blockades the Tiran Straits. PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKEIsrael conducts a PRE-EMPTIVE STRIKE which decimated Egypt’s and Syria’s air forces. NASSER’s insistence in 1967 that the UNEF leave the Sinai Peninsula.

MILITARY ARMAMENT COMPARISON ARABS (EGYPT, JORDAN, SYRIA) ISRAEL Personnel547,000 soldiers 70,000 standing army 230,000 reservists Tanks 5, Aircraft Total Pop. 110 million2.7 million

THE 1967 SIX DAY WAR The OCCUPIED TERRITORIES: Egypt lost the SINAI PENINSULA and the GAZA STRIP. Syria lost the GOLAN HEIGHTS. Jordan lost EAST JERUSALEM (OLD CITY) and the WEST BANK.

UN RESOLUTION 242 UN condemned Israel for taking Arab territories Israel refused to return land... cites security concerns Israel claims occupied territories are a buffer zone for security

YOM KIPPUR WAR (1973) Launched by Egypt and Syria on the holiest holiday in Judaism. After initial Arab victories, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) crossed the Suez Canal. Israeli victory enabled by USA resupplying Israel with all needed military equipment. 1974: Arabs begin oil embargo against the West, esp. the USA.

GOALS FOR PEACE “LAND FOR PEACE”

CAMP DAVID ACCORDS 1st peace treaty btwn Israel and an Arab country (EGYPT). MENACHIM BEGINMENACHIM BEGIN, PM of Israel, returned the Sinai Peninsula. ANWAR SADATANWAR SADAT, Pres. of Egypt, opens trading ties w/Israel. Unfortunately, peace is a COLD PEACE.

ANWAR SADAT ASSASSINATED

INTIFADA (the Shaking) Violent protests against Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Most Palestinians follow the PLO under Yasir Arafat. However, more and more Palestinians are turning to Islamic Fundamentalist organizations, such as HAMAS and Islamic Jihad.

OSLO ACCORDS (1993) 1st peace treaty btwn Israel and the Palestinians. Success due to secret negotiations in OSLO, Norway. YITZAK RABINLed by Israeli PM YITZAK RABIN. YASIR ARAFAT.Led by Palestinian leader YASIR ARAFAT.

OSLO ACCORDS SOLUTIONS Israeli Demands –a commitment by the Palestinians to end terrorism in Israel –increase trading ties with Israel –True PEACE Palestinian Demands –Gaza Strip and Jericho first for self-rule –to gain 13% more land in the West Bank –Israel to stop building Israeli settlements in the West Bank –return of Arab Refugees

YITZHAK RABIN ASSASSINATION Right wing Israeli activist assassinated Rabin.

CAMP DAVID 2000  Israeli redeployment from 95% of the West Bank and 100% of the Gaza Strip  The creation of a Palestinian state in that area  The removal of isolated settlements that would be transferred to Palestinian control  Slices of Israeli land to be included in the Palestinian state to compensate for the percentage of the West Bank to become Israeli  Palestinian control over parts of Jerusalem  including most of the Old City  "Religious Sovereignty" over the Temple Mount (rather than Israeli sovereignty, which had been in effect since 1967)

INTIFADA II Due to failure of Camp David 2000, the second INTIFADA erupted. Still occurring today: – /2/hi/middle_east/ stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk /2/hi/middle_east/ stm

INTIFIDA II

Israel Withdraws from Gaza Yasir Arafat dies in Spring 2005 New Palestinian leadership Summer 2005 Israel unilaterally withdraws from Gaza

FINAL ISSUE TO PEACE JERUSALEM YERUSHALYM AL-QUDS